I have had an excellent experience with Acorn and Oak property Management. The agent I worked with,…read moreLisa Rietzes, was pleasant, easy to work with, and clear about the steps I needed to take to rent. When I walked into my new kitchen, there was a gift box there. It contained a roll of toilet paper, a small Hammer, a bottle of water, and several other necessities. It was so thoughtful because those are the kind of things you never can get access to when you move in. At first. Kudos to Lisa and the company!

We worked with Acorn + Oak for roughly 3 years managing our rental property, and unfortunately our…read moreexperience steadily declined over time due to poor communication, constant turnover in points of contact, and lack of follow-through. The final issue that led us to terminate management involved landscaping/tree work that perfectly summarized the broader problems we experienced throughout the relationship. We requested quotes for landscaping work in mid-March and did not receive them until we followed up weeks later. When the quote finally arrived, the pricing didn't add up correctly and had to be clarified after additional follow-up. We approved what was described as trimming and cleanup work, but communication throughout the process remained inconsistent. Scheduled work dates were missed, partial work was completed without updates, equipment was left at the property, and both we and the tenant repeatedly had to ask for status updates. Most concerning, a large holly/privacy barrier on the property was cut back far beyond what was communicated in the approved scope of work. We were later told after the fact that the vendor believed mildew/mold treatment required such an aggressive cutback, but that was never explained to us before the work was performed. Had that been communicated upfront, we would have had the opportunity to discuss options and understand the actual scope of work being approved. The larger issue, though, was not just the landscaping situation itself -- it was the ongoing lack of proactive communication and oversight. Over the course of our time with Acorn + Oak, we went through multiple points of contact and consistently found ourselves needing to follow up for updates, quotes, scheduling information, and basic responses. Even our tenant expressed frustration with delays and communication issues. For a company charging a 10% management fee, we expected significantly better service, coordination, and accountability. Instead, the experience often created more stress and work for us rather than less. The Broker in Charge ultimately allowed us to terminate our agreement early, and we are now self-managing the property while evaluating better long-term options. I rarely leave negative reviews, but I think it's important for prospective owners to understand that communication and consistency were major issues in our experience.

We have been living in a property managed by Allenton for just over a year now, and the folks at…read moreAllenton have just been such a pleasure every step of the way that I need to share this information. So when we were looking for a place to rent here in Durham, we had to fly in from California and only had 3 days to look, and we came in the middle of the weekend. Even though Allenton isn't usually open on the weekend, Jeff spent some time driving around to several different properties with us (a couple other comparable management companies completely blew us off). Unfortunately, none of the properties Allenton had in their portfolio at the time matched what we were looking for in our price range. Well, Jeff did not let that stop him. Apparently, the morning of the day we were to fly back to California, Allenton had gotten a call about a potential new property. The people buying the home wanted a representative of Allenton there during the final inspection, and once Jeff got the details about the property, he called us and asked us to meet him there, as he was sure that it was exactly what we were looking for. He couldn't have been more right. The new owners of the property were very happy with having rented it out before they even actually owned it as well. And even with all this, Allenton stepped it up even more by helping us negotiate a few terms of the lease. But wait!, the excellent service doesn't stop there. Apparently there were a few minor, but important, repairs the house needed which came up during the inspection. As soon as we moved in they set up a time for their handymen to come out and take care of the problems. Not only that, but while they were here they fixed up a couple of fittings for the gate and the doors that were giving us trouble. And it is not just documented necessary repairs that they handle promptly. Every time we have put in a maintenance request, the matter has usually been handled within 48hrs. For example, yesterday I had someone from Time Warner come to wire another cable outlet, but he refused to do the work without written permission from the owner or manager. Well, within no more than 10mins of me calling to ask if someone could fax a signed letter over, BAM! there it was. It was because to this that I decided to write these guys a good review (Time Warner, however, bletch, though the cable guy did show up at the right time) Oh, and did I mention how understanding they are, and how promptly they respond, when you lock yourself out, even after hours? (I can be a bit absentminded) The only problem we had was due to us renting the property before anyone at Allenton really had a chance to get to know the property intimately. No one knew exactly which utilities we needed and which ones needed to be turned on versus just changed into our name, but we should have asked about that prior to the day before we moved. Still, they did make sure the electricity was on and the keys were available to us when we flew in with our cats and a few very large bags in tow at around midnight. It has been a very long time since I have had such a pleasant experience with the people managing the property we were renting. If you are looking to rent in the Durham area, I recommend making sure you check out whatever properties Allenton has available. Oh, and sorry about the novel.

Beware of these people. Before even touring a property, I was required to submit extensive personal…read moreinformation and pay a $100 application fee, despite having excellent credit, verified employment as a professor, and a strong rental history. The application process dragged on for over a month due to repeated delays, poor communication, and what appeared to be avoidable administrative errors. I had to repeatedly follow up, resubmit documents, and even contact their screening company myself to resolve issues that should have been handled internally. After providing every document requested, I was eventually told the property had been rented to someone else because my screening was never completed. I lost time, money, and shared sensitive personal information with nothing to show for it. I ultimately renewed my lease elsewhere. If you're considering applying, I'd be cautious about paying the application fee until you're confident the process is being handled efficiently. These company don't know what efficiency is. Don't waste your money/time

You truly don't know someone until one encounters adversity. The last several months I had several…read morechallenges with repairs, the team at Apple Really stepped up and took complete control of the citations. They were pricey and always kept me posted on a regular basis with the work progress. I am thrilled and excited to be with Apple. They held up the gold standard of property management service in Durham for over 25 years.

Micah at Apple Realty showed us a house and was wonderful to work with. Micah answered all of our…read morequestions and even helped us through the application process with reminders. He was willing to answer messages after hours to make sure we were approved in time.

Hands down the best realty company in the area is A2Z Realty.  I mean, Joel and his staff will do…read moreanything they can to help you out.  They are Johnny-on-the-spot with repairs and/or preventative maintenance.   The place is always well mowed and groomed.  And it is a beautiful location. There flowering trees everywhere.  The neighborhood features multiple walking and/or biking trails as well as the community park and rose garden are just a block down the road. While we're talking location, bus stops out front will take you anywhere you need to go.  There is a mall across the street with restaurants, a movie theater, shops, and a grocery store.  The post office, banks, dentists, eye doctors, massage therapists, and hair salons - all in the same block.  Library is a short walk away.   You cannot ask for a better location, especially if you don't own a car.

Summary: As a property owner, they are a worry-free management company!…read more A2Z has been fantastic at managing my property - around 8 years and I've never had to worry about a thing. They are trustworthy, competent, fair, and good at getting tenants who pay their rent and keep the place in good shape. All repairs were very reasonable in both cost and timing - I'm a bit sad I've sold my property because I couldn't ask for a better management team, and I will certainly use them again if I get another property in the area!

On July 5 2025 I was overcharged while paying on line. It is now August 18 2025 and after a couple…read morevisits to the office on Garrett Rd. Still no one has contacted me to refund my money. As easy as it would seem to do still the manager who told me that she would look into the matter still hasn't contacted me. I see that your ratings have zero stars. I understand! ​

Sylvia the General Manager of Ticon Properties is probably the most difficult person to work with…read moreI've dealt with and is the reason I decided not to renew my lease. Sylvia's son Carson is currently the Property Manager at Audubon Lake but I Have found his demeanor quite binary and not very interested, this of course effects how residents are treated and it stinks because they don't really enforce the "pick up after your pet" mantra. so I moved. yes the prices are good but it takes forever to get a maintenance order done, and you have the other problems which they won't seem to address!

My experience with this property management company has been extremely disappointing. Response…read moretimes are very poor, and several repair requests were forgotten or never completed. A major plumbing issue was never fully resolved -- I had to escalate the matter through the answering service and even reach out to the vendor myself just to get any attention to it. There has been absolutely no follow-up from the management team -- neither with me nor with the vendor -- showing a complete lack of communication and accountability. Based on my experience, I would not recommend this company to anyone. I truly feel sorry for the property owner, as their investment is not being properly cared for.

Renter beware. I try to avoid making negative comments, but I don't want others to have similar…read moreexperiences to the one I had. This company does respect their tenants. My move out process was extremely unprofessional and rather stressful. I inquired about having a walk through with management before I vacated the property and was told there was no process in place for that and to just "drop the keys off." I had to follow up repeatedly for my security deposit and could not get an answer from anyone. Finally after repeated calls I was told that I would only receive a fraction of my deposit because of repairs. However, when I asked for documentation and for invoices for any repairs I was provided nothing. And trying to get someone on the phone or to respond to my emails was pointless. It was very frustrating to be treated this way. I strongly urge you to find another property management company.

Outstanding Property Management - Highly Recommended!…read more Rick Soles Property Management has been my trusted management company from 2017 to 2025, and I couldn't be happier with the service they provided over the years. As someone living abroad, I had to rely heavily on their responsiveness and professionalism across different time zones--and they never disappointed. It always felt like the team was just waiting on the other end of the email, ready to resolve any issue quickly and efficiently. They consistently went the extra mile, were always on time, and maintained a high level of professionalism. My tenants throughout the years were also very satisfied with the team, which gave me peace of mind knowing my property was in good hands. That sense of security is exactly why I stayed with them for so long. Recently, they supported me through the process of selling the property, and their help was invaluable. I'm genuinely grateful and proud to recommend Rick Soles Property Management to any property owner looking for top-tier management, or to any tenant seeking a team that truly cares about their needs just as much as the owner's. Thank you for everything!

i've had very good experiences with this company. i've been renting from them almost 5 years. any…read moreissue or any repairs that needed to be addressed were taken care of the same day. the office staff are always friendly,kind and helpful.

These people are psychotic. Power-tripping and getting little else done it seems. Pathetic…read more The members have no idea of personal boundaries and creep me out. The only time they let me speak to them directly over zoom they didn't seem to have any interest in what I had to say. Josh was the only one who responded and he was just condescending. Complete waste of time. I'm looking forward to leaving this property soon. I've never felt so uncomfortable living anywhere (and I'm from New York!). Edit to add: they replied to my Google review in typical dismissive patronizing fashion. Addressing everything but the point, idiots Edited one more time to add: wow. They've added a shill review on Google. I seem to have touched a nerve! So sad.

I've been a resident at a Community Focus managed property for around 15 years now. Our…read moreassociation was one of first properties managed by them when they started out. I normally just pay my HOA dues and trust things are being handled around the building. Over the years, I've noticed the quality and value of services have declined. The common areas are not being maintained as they once were. Political ads are being shown in windows facing common areas, against the rules. A board member neighbor, installed an EV charging station on common property outside. There was no discussion or input from the community about this. The power cord runs over the space outside of my unit, and is an eyesore. I still haven't been able to get a straight answer on how this was approved. My questions and concerns have been met with malaise and a general disregard. I think they have grown too large too fast, and service has suffered. Just my observation.

I rented with LBP for 2 years and had only good experiences…read more I rarely had to submit maintenance requests, but when I did they were taken care of very quickly and with minimal interference. Moving out was also a breeze, the only reason I moved is because of my job relocating me. Every communication with LBP was clear and straightforward. I greatly appreciate that in a landlord/property management company.

This company seems to profit only by distrusting its tenant clients based on the terms in their…read morelease, with a 90 day deadline for termination, automatic 4% annual rent increases, just about 100% hands off attitude towards maintenance and repairs, and minimal communication.

Bottom Line: I have never had to try harder to give someone thousands of dollars. Gave up on…read morerenting from them after I hadn't heard back about my application in two weeks. Pros: Setting up a showing was easy. The two apartments that I viewed were nice and priced comparably to other places in downtown Durham for the quality and location. Cons: The person showing me the apartments (not the property manager) was not well-informed. I was told that there was no laundry on-site at one of the apartments, even though other companies had advertised on-site laundry for the same building. I emailed and called the property manager to confirm and didn't get a response for three days. Unlike the three other companies that I have been in contact with in Durham, if you are not the first to submit an application for a unit, West and Woodall keeps the $50 application fee, even if they don't run your credit. Being desperate to find a place, I called and their receptionist told me no one had submitted an application for one of the units I was interested in so I applied. They said the application approval process is supposed to take 3-5 business days so when I still hadn't heard anything after a week and a half I called several times to request the status of my application. Eventually, I gave up and applied for an apartment with a different property management company and got the application approved within a day.

Thank you for your professional help and kindness, I'm so incredibly grateful for your teamread more